Vehicle security systems employ sensors to detect intrusion attempts. Typically, any combination of four types of sensors are used with a vehicle security system, vibration and/or impact sensors, microwave sensors, glass breakage sensors and ultrasonic sensors. Any of these sensor types may have more than a single detection zone, however their common shortcoming is that the sensitivity of each sensor is set only by the installer. Yet subsequent to the last sensitivity setting, various conditions such as continuous vibrations caused by the vehicle's motion or changes in the outside temperature will cause the last setting to change. What is more, even if there was no setting change over a time period, the setting last selected by the installer at the installing location may be inappropriate when the vehicle is parked in a high traffic road or a multi-story parking facility and consequently may cause false alarms. When experiencing repeated false alarms, the owner will either turn off the alarm and thereby leave the vehicle vulnerable to thieves, or else will be inconvenienced by going back to the installing dealer for re-adjustment of the sensor. But even going back to the installing dealer provides no assurances whatsoever that the re-adjustment even if done properly at the dealer's location will be effective for all future parking locations, roads, traffic and weather conditions. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a security system that allows any owner, even the one with absolutely no technical interest or aptitude to adjust the sensor's sensitivity any place, anytime, without tools and without even knowing where the sensor is installed in the vehicle.
It is known that vehicle security systems may have one or more programmable features, and in fact many systems may have as many as thirty different programmable features, which the user is able to enable or disable. Frequently, while performing the programming of a specific feature, owners and installers become confused and inadvertently miss-program various functions which subsequently cause what appears to be a malfunction of the system. Yet there is no easy way for re-establishing the programmable features to a known condition. It would be useful to have a solution that enables the owner to return the programmable features to a known state with just a simple step.
Many vehicle security systems utilize audible alarm "chirping" and flashing of the vehicle parking lights to confirm remote arming and disarming. This chirping sound is particularly objectionable at night in a residential neighborhood. Consequently many owners disable the audible chirping, which leaves the flashing lights to provide a visual indication of the arming and disarming function. During daylight conditions, and particularly in high ambient light conditions, it can be difficult to see the light flashing, so that the owner may not be able to confirm the arming/disarming.
Many vehicles are equipped with automatic door locking and unlocking systems which lock the vehicle doors as soon as the driver turns the ignition key "on" and unlock the doors when the key is "off." In the event of a collision, the door can remain locked, delaying the driver and passengers from exiting the vehicle. This delay could be critical particularly in case of fire.
Another disadvantage of conventional vehicle security systems is that, when the owner leaves the vehicle unattended for over a week, the power consumed by the flashing LED, though seemingly minute (typically 5-15 ma), may over time cause the vehicle battery to be depleted to a low charge level that will prevent the owner from starting the engine. It would be clearly an advantage to provide a solution to the problem of long term battery loading due to the LED activation.
Presently, various manufacturers of vehicles have different door locking polarity, i.e. the signal polarity for locking and unlocking the doors may be either positive or negative, depending on the vehicle. When installing a vehicle security system that has door locking/unlocking outputs but no onboard relays, it may be difficult to the installer to match his security system door polarity to that of the vehicle. Consequently there is a need in the art for a security system with a programmable door locking and unlocking polarity.
In the conventional vehicle security system, a remote panic feature is provided. When the vehicle owner presses a panic button on the remote control transmitter, it activates the security system siren to call attention from passersby. It would represent an advance in the art to provide added personal security measures taken upon actuation of the remote control panic button.